Z: Mom, can you put my hair up

I don't want ketchup to get in it

M: Where did the ketchup come from

Z: the wall

[Yes, there it was.. all over the wall.. and on her back, and on her leg...]

later..

D: Where did all this ketchup come from?

M: Did you put the bottle away

D: No

M: me neither

D: Zoe's where's the bottle

Z: hidden under the sink

[I haven't looked for it yet]

new bedroom details

So, I am finally setting about to spruce up Zoe's room.. thanks to our cleaning lady, I finally have Zoe's room clean and thinned of toys... (she started hiding things from the room and going on about how I needed to store some things away)

Now I'm planning on putting some things on the walls. I've fallen in love with the vinyl decals that are out there and plan to do something of the kind. Here is a picture of Zoe's room (before it was cleanned), with my planned decals... the plan is to bring a projector home.. project the things on the wall and paint them. I probably won't do black.. I'm still thinking colors.. the cool thing is chalkboard paint but I'm trying to decide if I want to do that for the bedrooms.. perhaps just the toy room.

for the girl on the moon, the big plan is to adjust it to fit a Zoe silhouette... fun eh?

then we just need closet doors... and it will be great.

I'm shrinking

"Oh mommy, I'm shrinking"... I was sharing a drink with Zoe.. as she was drinking it, she pretended to get shorter and shorter (a la Alice in Wonderland)

Zoe on horses

"horses are big and ponies are pretty"

24 hour flu again

Zoe has her worst case of the flu so far... she was bedridden all day yesterday.. took 4 naps... it was horrible to watch... she was unable to keep down any fluid.. but alas, today she is on the track for wellness.. she's already ate two crackers.. some water.. and just now went to put her clothes on (she stayed in her undies all day yesterday.. another rarity for Zoe). Yesterday I did 3 complete bedding changes.. so much laundry.. ugh! I feel bad for my mom.. I remember her doing such laundry challenges when we were sick.

oh the melodrama

Zoe woke up in the middle of the night screaming (not uncommon).. in my tired state, I brought her into my room, put her on Finn matress on the floor (he was in our bed).. then at 7am she woke up screaming.. again... this is rare... "my teeth hurt".. "my checks hurt"... "fix it".. "do something".. "no don't touch me"... "no I won't do that".. "no I don't want that"... "ahhhhh"... she is the perfect blend of me and Bruce.. from Bruce "do something" from me "no not that"... it is frustrating.. finally fell back on cartoons to stop the screaming (and some triametic.. thankful for chewables)

towards another birthday

Now that I'm about to hit my 37th birthday (a year that will probably mark other people noticing my gray hairs!), that means I can think about Zoe's 4th birthday.

This year I'm thinking:

Pocahontas.. she is dying for a doll and a costume

New princess table mat and dishes (her old ones are growing old fast)

and I'll keep adding more.. but this is all I can think of now.

Adding: One thing Zoe likes to do is make clothes for her dolls... I keep wondering if there is an age appropriate set of cloth samples that could be fastened with ties or something... I may have to make it up myself.

I'm also thinking:

New bedding... we only have one set.. so either princess pink, or red, or brown.. that is the chosen color scheme.. or I have to switch color schemes before I implement my plan....

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/zoku-quick-pop-maker/

(but maybe that is a Christmas whole family type gift.. we eat popsicles every night.. a lot of them)

cat ate my art project

I was just consoling Zoe who was out and out crying because the cat came up and tore into her folded papertowel-foamies art project. I tried to explain to Zoe that a cat ripping up her art project is a form of flattery.. that they thought it was another toy she made for them, and that they didn't know any better. I swear we have the only cats for whom my kids can truly say: "My cat ate my homework"

the things we do to our kids

I often write this blog thinking about Zoe reading it as a teen, and try not to make it fake. This is one of those times I hate to write about but feel obligated to. Zoe has lately not been a big fan of the bath. For several months she has insisted on wearing her swimsuit in the bath, saying that is what mermaid wear. But we think it may have to do with Finn taking bath with her. To add to more of the trama, when the weather got real warm, Bruce declared a water fight in the backyard after dinner and I was not in the mood for it. When he sprayed me I got upset.. we weren't on happy terms any way, been fighting a bit, and this set it off. Apparently Zoe internalized this and declared war on water and fighting. She has not taken a bath except under circumstance of me holding her under the water.. she is scared and scarred by the actions of her parents. This hurts me deeply and I'd do anything to take it back. We are trying not to fight in front of her and we have set a goal to have a "good" water fight.. first by going to the swimming pool, a place of water and happy memories. I've also declared today a Zoe and Mom and Dad day, she is at work with us and we will do something fun today.. in addition to taking her to lunch with us (no Finn).

Zoe morning thought on marriage

One morning Zoe (while watching Pocahontas), was telling me that when two people "kiss one another on the hand like this, then they are married".

Speaking of which.. Zoe is in love with all things Pocahontas.. who at Disney World she pronounced "Pho-ko-mal-ous"... and wants a doll for her birthday and an costume.

back seat driver

Zoe is turning into a back seat driver... often heard:

"You are driving too fast.. I'm scared".. I think this is because she doesn't watch out the window very often.. and when she does, she's surprised. Another theory is that she's heard this at day care.

"This is ~not~ the way to ..." She tells me I'm going the wrong spot

"This is the way to.." but she also seems to recognize roads, especially on the way to Daycare

So excited I slept in my swimsuit

I took Zoe shopping for a new swim suit.. she wanted a singlet like her friend Anna.. I usually don't buy them because she's so tall and they won't last the season (like this time I bought her a 6.. she did manage to try on the 5, but there is no way it would fit her for long if at all)... but she was so excited in true Zoe fashion, she wore it from the store dressing room to the car, and is now sleeping in it. She would not take a bath because "then her swimsuit would not be new any more"

But this is not abnormal for Zoe.. she pretty much wears any one of two skirts and 3 shirts and has only slept in PJs for say 3 times in the last month. I've given up on the fight unless the clothes start to stand and walk on their own.

bone for "Princess"

Last night we spent some time outside.. the weather is now perfectly lovely and summery after a long, cooler than usual spring. A neighbor, May Kay, and her puppy Pookie were walking by and stopped to chat. Pookie was not really interested in the kids and despite pulling out a dog bone, she would not eat or endure kid snuggles... Zoe ended up keeping the dog bone, and before bath asked me where she could put it to save it for "Princess".

"Princess" is the name she would give her dog (a Chiuaua if she had her way)

This morning first thing she saw me, she asked where the bone was for "Princess".

Hey clothes! are you having fun in there?

"Hey clothes! are you having fun in there? uh-uh-uh"

[Zoe looking at her favorite outfit in the dryer]

Zoe pretty much wears the same two skirts and three shirts, regardless of weather.. it has been a really cool summer, and Zoe is well into wearing her favorite "Short Sleeve Skirt" and either the pink shirt, kitty shirt, butterfly shirt.

Zoe the little lady

We are working on Zoe's whining, and it seems to be working.. the other night she said, "See, I can be so polite. You should say 'thank you Zoe'."